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Okay, let's try this. I feel like this is a completely unique concept, but if it's not feel free to get rid of the thread. Take a very special FZ album to you, it could be your 'favorite' or it could just be one that stands out to you the most, and try to determine what your least favorite part of that album is.

For example, I love OSFA and I know I'm not the only one. But for some reason, in comparison to the Sofa suite, Andy and Inca Roads, "San Ber'dino" just comes short, in my opinion. I guess I just don't get it. It's on Strictly Commercial too, I much rather would have heard Inca Roads or especially Andy on there, or even Florentine Pogen. Does anyone else have any instances like this on FZ albums that you greatly cherish?

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With your love you can change: all of the fools, all of the hate.

I rarely listen to the "bread" (that is, the two doowop/R&B covers) bits on Burnt Weeny Sandwich, I'm always devouring the "meat" portions (that is, all the instrumental original compositions).

Also, I don't think "Trouble Every Day" was in any way improved on "Roxy & Elsewhere", just made a bit more virtuosic, little else. That song should've been retired after the original Mothers' disbandment.

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Lies are like quicksand, soft and comfortable, but they will swallow us. Truth is like bedrock, hard and uncomfortable, but we can always stand on it

So you like the Igor's Boogie(s)? I'm not a huge fan of those but I absolutely love Theme From Burnt Weeny Sandwich.

When it comes to Trouble Every Day, I think I could have heard it on FO and been done with it. That song has never done much for me.

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With your love you can change: all of the fools, all of the hate.

the dialog between moon, michael rappaport, ali n. askin, todd yvega and the members of the ensemble modern on civilization phaze iii, disc two.
they just didn't get what it was all about. they don't add anything.

too bad fz didn't edit them out.

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

I haven't gotten that yet, but I really need to. Why is Michael Rapaport even in it?! Haha.

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With your love you can change: all of the fools, all of the hate.

because he was moon's boyfriend at the time...

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"bit of nostalgia for the old folks."

Well that explains it.

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With your love you can change: all of the fools, all of the hate.

I totally like Igor's Boogie!

There is in fact a very demented version of the piece where Roy is scatting along with some of the clarinet lines, then que in some doo-wop background while the horns are playing Phaze Two, real creepy in fact! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTxa1OWMaY

If pure woodwind music is not up yer alley, here's the keyboard version of Phaze One, take it away George Duke and Ian Underwood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya5TujaOBKg

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Lies are like quicksand, soft and comfortable, but they will swallow us. Truth is like bedrock, hard and uncomfortable, but we can always stand on it

In contrast to the guy above, I don't like Sofa-boring standard tune with no 'eyebrows', but I love the rest of OSFA.

'Ship Ahoy' grates as well. SUNPYG shares top honours with OSFA for me.

My least favourite from OSFA would probably have to be "Po-Jama People". Standard blues-rock with rhythm section (replete with tacky tack piano from Duke) coming across really slick and session musicianly, and FZ sounds a bit smarmy on that one too. Perverted Al Bundy style voice is one aspect. Plus, it doesn't help that this song slags off one of my favourite touring groups: the 1973 JLP band. It's not a terrible song by any means, but not that fantastic either. Maybe the extended "200 Years Old" would've been a better excuse for another ripping guitar solo? I would've even tolerated "Cucamonga" on this one.

At least Sofa's got a great tune. Zappa could write excellent simple melodies too, even that overplayed Bobby Brown is in fact very singable. And "San Berdino" is quite entertaining, plus it's got Johnny Guitar Watson!

In any case, it has occurred to me that OSFA is in fact a transitional album. The line between the 1966-75 Zappa and the 1976-beyond Zappa runs right there.

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Lies are like quicksand, soft and comfortable, but they will swallow us. Truth is like bedrock, hard and uncomfortable, but we can always stand on it

Some FZ albums are just perfect. In some others I really love, I wish some songs were just not there. So, my tedious list of the works I consider to be perfect, and the ones which don't reach perfection because of a single moment.

*Freak Out!: I wish "The Return of the Son..." was shorter, really. A pity FZ was not let to finish it the way he wanted.
*Absolutely Free: just perfect!
*Lumpy Gravy: just perfect!
*WOIIFTM: just perfect!
*Cruisin'....: just perfect!
*Uncle Meat: just perfect! (well, I mean the original record, the remix has extra material I WISH JUST DIDN'T EXIST)
*Hot Rats: just perfect!
*Burnt Weeny Sandwich: just perfect!
* Weasels Ripped My Flesh: just perfect! (the only instance in which I tolerate Roy Estrada's vocal solos)
*JABFL: just perfect!
*Waka/Jawaka: just perfect!
*The Grand Wazoo: just perfect!
*Roxy & Elsewhere: just perfect!
*Studio Tan: just perfect!
*Sleep Dirt: just perfect!
*You Are What You Is: I never liked the version of "I Don't Wana Get Drafted" featured here. The earlier recording of this song (the one on "The Lost Episodes") is great.
*SATLTSADW: I've never liked "I Come From Nowhere" very much.
*CP III: Disc 1 is perfect by all means. Disc 2 has those boring new dialogues, a real pity.

The pre-release "demo" version has a lot more of their dialogue, even ending with it.

It's not necessarily a criticism, but an observation: FZ took a real big risk by playing very very long solos on the Hot Rats album, referring to "Willie the Pimp" and "Son of Mr GG". I would've expected that perhaps considering Don Preston's keyboard solos and Ian Underwood's sax solos on "Mr Green Genes" for the 1968 and 1970 concerts the solo space could've been shared between Ian, Frank and maybe Sugarcane on the record as well. Instead, we have a long guitar solo coloured by overdubbed sax/clarinet/keyboard arrangements. While the arrangement generally works, the first half with sax arrangements feels more involved than the second half of the solo with only keyboards. Perhaps a bit different arrangement of dynamics could've improved matters even more?

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Lies are like quicksand, soft and comfortable, but they will swallow us. Truth is like bedrock, hard and uncomfortable, but we can always stand on it

I'm crazy about the Roxy album. it's by far my most-often-listened-to FZ album. But I skip over Dummy Up every time I play it. That shit is great in concert, but it otherwise gets old by about the 3rd listen.

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Everytime we picked a booger we'd flip it on this one winduh. Every night we'd contribute, 2, 3, 4 boogers. We had to use a putty knife, man, to get them damn things off the winduh. There was some goober ones that weren't even hard...

I still can't decide if I prefer the Ryko remix of Hot Rats to the original vinyl / Universal mix.

The benefits of the original mix include pretty much all of side one, especially Peaches En Regalia and how FZ's guitar is more prominent in the melody line of Son Of Mr. Green Genes. But on the other hand, the Ryko remix just brings side two to life since there are just too many instruments too buried in the original mix. The greatest culprits are the keys, pianos, organ, flutes, & saxes in Little Umbrellas, which is unforgivable. And the shorter version of The Gumbo Variations just doesn't cut it.

So whenever I listen to this album now, I listen to side one of the original vinyl / Universal mix and side two of the Ryko remix accordingly...

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"...I'm absolutely a Libertarian on MANY issues..." ~ Frank Zappa, Rochester, NY, March 11, 1988

All that junk he added to the end of Uncle Meat.

I know why he did it, but still...

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I'm petulant, and I'm having a frenzy...

Illuminate me. Why the fuck did he do it?

Never really got into Sheik Yerbouti Tango, it's just a solo I don't think is amazing. I never really skip it though.
Though YAWYI is a pretty great album I'm not a fan of Conehead at all and I never really got the weird screaming at the end of I don't wanna get drafted.

Any Downers/Conehead is a somewhat boring segment of the otherwise great YAWYI.

I guess because the film and that Honker video were a big deal to him.

Big deal eh? I need a DVD release then! Lol.

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With your love you can change: all of the fools, all of the hate.

I hate the voice on Apostrophe "But, I got the crystal ball". I find it cringeworthy.
Also the announcers voice on OS "That's right folks don't touch that dial"

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"drums are too noisy, 'n you've got no corners to hide in"

I always wondered what he was saying for the longest time, now it makes me laugh.
As for the announcer, I can't help but proclaim that line very loudly whenever I hear it.

Kin Vassy sounds like he's setting us up for something amazing, and I think he's right.

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With your love you can change: all of the fools, all of the hate.

Those annoying vocals on Spider Of Destiny, I always skip 'em.

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If we're dumb . . .
Then God is dumb . . .
(An' maybe even a little bit ugly on the side)